The present invention relates to the field of vehicle lifts, such as those used to load items, particularly although not exclusively passengers, into vehicles such as xe2x80x9chi-linexe2x80x9d coaches, buses or railway coaches.
Conventional coaches and buses of the xe2x80x9chi-linexe2x80x9d type, comprise a passenger deck which is positioned above the wheels of the bus usually at a height from the ground of up to 1.7 meters. Similarly, a conventional railway carriage has a load deck positioned over a set of bogies which carry a set of wheels. In each case, there is a significant distance between the load deck and the level of the ground. The conventional xe2x80x9chi-linexe2x80x9d road coach, comprises an access door for access to the passenger deck, and a plurality of luggage compartments for storing luggage underneath the passenger deck. For enabling access of disabled persons into and out of the access door, it is known to provide an hydraulic lifting device which is situated in a luggage compartment directly underneath the access door. The prior art lifting device comprises a platform which can be raised and lowered between the level of the passenger deck and the ground, operable by a remotely located hydraulic power supply which produces hydraulic power from electrical power supplied from an electrical system of the coach, and a cassette type subframe which is mounted to the coach body, and into which the platform retracts when not in use.
The known lifting device is installed in a luggage compartment 200 underneath the passenger deck of a xe2x80x9chi-linexe2x80x9d type coach or bus. The platform is carried by a pair of arms, one positioned at each side of the platform, one end of each arm attached to the platform, and another end of each arm attached to the sub-frame fitted in the luggage compartment of the coach at a position approximately midway between the passenger deck and a floor of the luggage compartment. In use, the platform is raised between a pavement, or road surface, and the passenger deck, so that persons in wheelchairs may mount the platform from the road or kerb, and the platform is then raised up to the level of the passenger deck, whereafter the wheelchair users may roll the wheelchairs directly onto the passenger deck of the coach. The arms travel in an arc of movement between the level of the road or pavement and the level of the passenger deck, the arc of movement centered around a level approximately midway up the luggage compartment, and between the level of the passenger deck and the level of the road/pavement. However, the conventional lifting apparatus has a number of drawbacks:
Firstly, because one end of each of the arms needs to be at a height between the passenger deck and the road/pavement, the sub-frame needs to be fitted more or less centrally across the luggage compartment, at a height in the luggage compartment between the floor of the luggage compartment and the passenger deck. The lifting apparatus effectively occupies the whole of the luggage compartment, extending across the whole length of the luggage compartment and across the width of the coach/bus. The whole luggage space of the compartment is effectively lost by fitment of the lifting device.
Secondly, because the sub-frame cassette is mounted more or less centrally in the luggage compartment, suspended in mid air between the passenger deck and the floor of the luggage compartment, fitting of the sub-frame cassette is time consuming and difficult, since special brackets need to be provided for suspending the sub-frame cassette below the passenger deck at the appropriate height. Installation of the known lifting apparatus can take of the order of one or two days, leading to increased cost, and loss of the vehicle from operational service for a significant period of time.
In GB 2224992, there is disclosed another type of vehicle lift for lifting and unlifting a load into a vehicle body. The lifting device is positioned underneath the vehicle body and extends out from underneath the vehicle body to a rear of the vehicle. A pair of extending arms support a platform which is raised or lowered between the level of the ground and a load platform of the vehicle body. In this case, the vehicle lift, in a stowed position, is carried underneath the vehicle at a level at or below a level of an axle of the vehicle""s wheels. The platform is stowed such a main of a platform is substantially horizontal, but tilted with respect to the ground, and is parallel to a main plane of a part of the vehicle underside. The lifting device disclosed in GB 2224992 is unsuitable for use as a lifting device for a xe2x80x9chi-linexe2x80x9d type coach having a load deck placed at a height above an upper extremity of the wheels, and the load deck extending over the top of the wheels, because the xe2x80x9chi-linexe2x80x9d coaches do not have doors at the back of the vehicle, and the lift height is too great for the device of GB 2224992.
Specific embodiments according to the present invention aim to provide a compact lifting apparatus which is suitable for xe2x80x9chi-linexe2x80x9d type coaches and railway coaches, and which is space saving compared to prior art devices, and requires less installation time.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle fitted lifting device fitted into a luggage compartment having a door and fitted substantially underneath a cabin access door, said device being configured for lifting a load into and out of a vehicle comprising a load deck, the lifting device comprising:
a platform operable to raise or lower between said load deck and a level beneath said load deck;
means for raising and lowering said load platform;
means for securing said load platform to said vehicle;
characterised in that said load platform is arranged to stow beneath said load deck such that a main plane of said load platform is positioned transversely to a main plane of said load deck and a main plane of said load platform is positioned transversely to a main length of said vehicle.
Preferably said load platform is stowed in an upright position.
Preferably said upright position is substantially vertical.
Preferably said load platform is moveable from a position underneath said load deck to a position outside said load deck whilst remaining in an upright position.
Preferably said means for securing said load platform to said vehicle comprises a carriage adapted for containing said load platform in an upright position underneath said load deck.
Preferably said means for securing said load platform to said vehicle comprises a chassis frame having first and second rail members spaced apart from each other and arranged such that in a stowed position, said load platform is positioned between said first and second rails.
Preferably said means for raising and lowering said load platform comprises first and second hydraulic rams.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle fitted lifting device fitted into a luggage compartment fitted substantially underneath a cabin access door, said device being configured for lifting a load into and out of a vehicle load deck, said lifting device comprising:
An elongated chassis comprising first and second rails, said chassis mounted in the vehicle;
a carriage moveable along said chassis from a position underneath said load deck to a position outside said load deck; and
a load platform;
characterised in that said load platform is moveable between an upright stowed position, in which a main plane of said load platform is positioned transversely to a main plane of said load deck and transversely to a main length of said vehicle, and an operating position in which said load platform operates to raise and lower said load.
Preferably said load platform is carried on a frame assembly, said frame assembly operating in use to raise or lower said load platform above and below a level of said carriage.
Preferably said chassis is adapted for mounting directly to a floor of a luggage compartment of said vehicle.
Preferably said lifting device comprises hydraulic ram means for raising and lowering said load platform relative to said frame assembly.
Preferably said chassis is positioned substantially parallel to a main axel of the vehicle.
Preferably said carriage assembly extends outwardly from said luggage compartment once said luggage compartment door is swung to an open position.
Preferably said load platform is swung down to a deployed position, such that said load platform is positioned directly underneath said access door.
Preferably said carriage assembly comprises first and second post members and inner and outer frames held between said members, the combination of inner and outer frames extending telescopically when said lifting device is in use.
Preferably said luggage compartment has a door.
Preferably said upright stowed position is substantially vertical.
Preferably said swinging motion is effected manually.